The new Rangers boss is owed a favour by Sheffield Wednesday assistant Lee Bullen, and would be wise to request the following three players at Ibrox next season.
New Rangers manager Pedro Caixinha
Pedro Caixinha’s friendship with Lee Bullen stretches all the way back to 2007, when the new Rangers boss encountered Sheffield Wednesday’s assistant on a coaching course [Scottish Sun].
And having allowed Bullen to observe his Nacional side while studying for his Uefa licence, Caixinha is perhaps owed a favour by the Edinburgh-born coach.
Sending any of the following Owls players to Ibrox next season would be sufficient repayment…
Lewis McGugan
McGugan hasn’t played for Wednesday’s first team since May 2016 and is facing another season on the sidelines if he doesn’t move on this summer. Outside of Hillsborough, no is quite sure why the midfielder, who scored six goals in 17 outings last term, has been cast aside. But with Jon Toral and Emerson Hyndman set to return to their parent clubs this summer, McGugan’s talent could certainly be put to use at Rangers.
Marco Matias
Though Matias is also awaiting a first Owls appearance in 10 months, the winger’s absence is at least easily explained. Injuries have held him back for the past 18 months of his Hillsborough career, which began with a bang in 2015 with memorable goals against Leeds United and Middlesbrough. The 27-year-old, who played for Caixinha’s old side Nacional – albeit not concurrently, scored 17 goals in his final season in Portugal and has the potential to dominate Scottish football, if fit.
Lucas Joao
A youngster at Nacional while Caixinha was boss, Joao made the big-money move to Wednesday shortly after his teammate Matias. But after scoring seven goals before Christmas 2015, which led to a couple of Portugal caps, the striker’s Hillsborough career has stagnated since then. Joao’s talent has since resurfaced on loan to Blackburn Rovers, however, and recent form – three goals in as many matches – suggests he’d be the ideal number 9 for Rangers next term.
Which Sheffield Wednesday players would you like to see at Glasgow Rangers?
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